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The Careers Spot

STEM subjects lead to a variety of careers

Becoming a lab scientist or a mathematician could lead you to find a cure for cancer or discover a new galaxy. And by studying engineering or technology, you could create the next generation of smartphone or maybe your own personal robot. But even if studying straight science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects isn’t for you, there’s a growing number of exciting careers that require these skills.

By combining STEM skills with your interests, you can set yourself up for some of the most amazing and in-demand careers, or create an entirely new career.

Research shows that an estimated 75% of the fastest growing occupations require STEM knowledge and skills. According to a US survey by Career Cast, the top 10 jobs for 2015 were: computer systems analyst, occupational therapist, software engineer, dental hygienist, data scientist, biomedical engineer, statistician, mathematician, audiologist and actuary (mathematical problem solver and strategist).

Many of the industries where STEM skills are required, such as data science and engineering, are also evolving in response to the changing needs of society. This means we don’t really know what the jobs of the future will be. If you combine your passion and skills with STEM, you’re likely to be highly employable. Industries are looking for people with life experience, who’ve travelled, learned a language or done other interesting things. Job ads and employer surveys often mention the importance of communication skills, as well as initiative, energy and the ability to work in a team.